Water ski tow line connector



'Sept. 15, 964 R. J. BRANT 3,143,655

WATER SKI TOW LINE CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 19, 1963 INVENTOR.

v I Reese-r :S-BEAN'T ATTOIZN EYS United States Patent 3,148,655 WATER SKI TOW LINE CONNECTOR Robert J. Brant, P.0. Box 605, San Rafael, Calif. Filed Nov. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 324,768 1 Claim. (Cl. 1156.1)

This invention relates to sporting equipment, and more particularly to an improved device providing a towing connection between a Water skier and a tow line attached to a boat. A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved water ski tow line connection device which is simple in construction, which is readily attachable to a tow line, and which provides respective independent reactive steering forces on the arms of a skier while being towed, enabling the skier to accurately control his path of movement and permitting him to obtain speeds considerably greater than those possible with the use of an ordinary tow rope.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved water ski tow line connector which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, which is easy to grip, which is provided with buoyant means adjacent its hand gripping portion so that it can be readily retrived when it falls into the water, and which enables a skier to obtain a much greater amount of maneuverability and speed than has been heretofore possible with the use of towing devices previously known.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an improved water ski tow line connector constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the end portion of one of the lengths of resilient elastic cable forming part of the tow line connector of FIGURE 1, the portion including one of the masses of buoyant material employed therewith, the mass of buoyant material being partly broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View illustrating the manner in which the improved tow line connector of FIGURES 1 and 2 is used.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improved water ski tow line connector constructed in accordance with the present invention. The connector 11 comprises a pair of normally equal lengths of resilient elasticcable 12, 12, which may be of high tensile rubber and which may have an over-all length of approximately twenty feet. The lengths 12, 12 are integrally connected together at their forward ends by an apertured tow line connection eye member 13 which may comprises a relatively rigid annular ring element of plastic or other suitable rigid material which is molded in the mass of rubber integrally connecting the respective lengths 12, 12. As shown in FIGURE 1, the connector is adapted to be fastened to a conventional tow line 14 by forming a loop 15 passing through the eye member 13 and suitably knotting or otherwise securing the loop 15 at 16.

Each of the lengths 12, 12 is integrally formed at its rear end with a hand gripping loop 17 comprising a main hand gripping portion 18 formed with inner serrations 19 to facilitate the grasping of the member 18, the main gripping portion 18 being at the rear end of the generally laterally and outwardly inclined elongated loop. The gripping portions 17 are of the same resilient elastic material as the lengths 12, 12 and thereby provide a relatively yielding action.

Respective masses of buoyant material 20 surround and are secured to the resilient elastic cable lengths 12, 12 adjacent their hand gripping portions 17, the masses 20 being, for example, of buoyant sponge rubber, and being of relatively elongated shape, as is clearly shown in FIG- URE 2. The buoyant masses 20 act as floats and facilitate the retrieval of the tow line connector 11 when it is dropped into the water by maintaining the hand grip portions 17 at the surface of the water so that they can be easily retrieved.

In using the device, the skier grasps the portions 17, as shown in FIGURE 3, and exerts independing controlling tension on the respective resilient elastic lengths 12, 12, as well as moving the hand gripping portions 17 laterally, as required, whereby the skier utilizes the resilient reactive forces exerted by the lengths 12, 12 for maneuvering and for steering. Each length 12 may be individually tensioned and stretched by the skier during towing to develop respective independent reactive steering forces on the arms of the skier, enabling the skier to control his direction as well as enabling him to maneuver relative to the towing boat, shown at 21, to provide optimum utilization of the force provided by the towing boat 21 and to enable the skier to perform various desired movements, as well as to properly steer himself while being towed. As shown in FIGURE 3, the tow line 14 comprises a relatively short length of rope which is non-elastic, and the lengths 12, 12 may be of any desired value, for example, may have an over-all length of approximately twenty feet, wherein each length 12 is approximately ten feet long. The tension developed in the lengths 12, 12 as the skier is pulled by the towing boat 21 causes the lengths 12, 12 to stretch, so that said lengths 12, 12 continuously exert reacting spring force on the skier while he is in movement. The skier can vary this spring force by manipulating the hand gripping members 17, 17 in the manner above described, for example, by pulling or moving the hand grip portions laterally. The device is thus used in connection with the towing boat 21 and non-yieldable cable 14 somewhat in the manner of a slingshot. This greatly increases the ranges of maneuverability of the skier and permits him to at times obtain speeds greatly in excess of those possible with an ordinary tow rope.

While a specific embodiment of an improved water ski tow line connector has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A water ski tow line connector comprising a pair of normally substantially equal lengths of resilient elastic cable, an apertured tow line connection eye member formed integrally with one end of each of said lengths and connecting the lengths together, respective hand gripping loops formed integrally with and extending generally laterally and outwardly from the other ends of said lengths, said loops being adapted to be grasped by the [Ce Patented Sept.'15, 1964 hands of a skier while being towed, whereby each length may be individually tensioned and stretched by the skier during towing to develop respective independent reactive steering forces, each hand gripping 100p including a laterally extending and outwardly and rearwardly inclined main gripping portion at the rear end of the loop, said gripping portion being formed with inner hand gripping serrations, and respective masses of buoyant sponge rubber material serving as floats secured to and surrounding the lengths adjacent the hand gripping loops.

'4 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Yachting Publication, March 1959, page 112, vol. 105, No. 3. 

